Small group vacation

Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If you’re heading off on a gap year your, perhaps – but for those with a two-week vacation, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.

The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travelers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.

We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.

What are the main benefits?

Big experiences
Have big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.

Simplicity
Make the most of your vacation time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!

Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.

Who is it ideal for?

Travelers who are short of time
If you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your vacation.

Solo travelers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those traveling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.

Less confident travelers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.

Mythbuster

“I won’t get any privacy!”
Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travelers their own room.

“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.

“The accommodation will be basic”Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.

“I won’t like the other travelers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.

“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.

Meet a group Leader

Name: Valerie Parkinson

Story: The first British woman to climb Manaslu, Valerie climbed Everest for her 50th birthday. She’s spent fourteen Christmas Days trekking to Everest Base Camp, and is involved insetting up Responsible Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.

Meet a local guide

Name: Roshan Fernando

Story: Roshan has led over 130 trips – he adores showing travelers around Sri Lanka. He won the company Leader Award in 2010, but his career highlight was working on their Tsunami Project – which earned him a responsible tourism award.

Responsible tourism

Responsible tourism: Prosecco Hills walking vacation, Italy

Accommodation & meals: We spend the week in the 4-star Hotel Villa Soligo located in the small village of Soligo, a relatively unknown area in the province of Treviso 60km from Venice; so our guests are providing income to an area that does not usually benefit from tourism. All the hotel food is homemade, using locally produced and sourced goods where possible. All the staff employed by the hotel is also local. Packed lunches are purchased from a family-run deli in the village. In recent years, small local businesses like this like these have been badly affected by the competition of big supermarkets chains, so our guests are directly contributing to their sustainability.

Community: The trip visits several local agritusimi (family-run restaurants) and wineries. All money spent here goes directly to supporting and maintaining these very traditional industries. We also use a local transport company for all transfers needed during the trip and for two of the activities we use local guides.

Group size: This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in a unique, family-run hotel that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to its limited size.

Activity: Few vacations have as little detrimental impact on the environment and local residents as a walking trip. It is a quiet, low impact activity requiring comparatively little resources to support. We do believe in leaving more than just footprints, however; this walking tour actively encourages guests to chat with local people, visit local cafes and bars, purchase local produce, gifts and crafts and discover what life is really like in this rural part of the Veneto region.

UK office: It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.

1 Reviews of Prosecco Hills walking vacation, Italy

5 out of 5 stars

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Reviewed on 05 Nov 2018 by Maria De Witte

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?

The weather was warm and generous - the best we could have, end of October. So walking in the vines and the woods was great, as were our picnics. The hotel Villa Soligo: very welcoming and always a pleasure to go 'home' at the end of the day. Our group was 12 people, which is great as you get to know everyone very well. Maybe, there was not one major memorable happening but we experienced a happy and relaxed atmosphere throughout with our warm guide Serena who has the art of being there when needed and aloof if not. Everything organised to the point and for us nothing to worry about, just enjoy.

2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?

If you like your walks (mostly not too strenuous) and afterwards a prosecco wine and a nice Veneto meal in one of the local restaurants. The walks through de vineyards, I've always wanted to do that. I've often travelled by train from Venice to Milan and saw to the left this beautiful countryside. I promised myself that one day I would discover that region. Well, I'm not disappointed.

3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?